1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a fastener for attaching a first object to a second object, with the fastener including structural features for guiding a third object into a predetermined alignment and spacing relative to the attached first and second objects. More specifically, the present invention relates to a fastener for attaching a housing of a cellular phone base station to a mounting bracket. The fastener includes structural features for engagement with a door of the housing of the base station so that the door is brought into proper alignment and spacing relative to the housing.
2. Description of the Background Art
Cellular phone service coverage areas often include manmade structures which act as barriers obstructing the signals necessary for providing phone service. Obstacles, such as tunnels and closely-knit skyscrapers, can create areas of reduced signal strength within the coverage area. These reduced signal strength areas are often referred to as dark zones.
Cellular phone users can be greatly inconvenienced by these dark zones. For instance, the cellular phone user may be unable to place a call, or may have an active call dropped when passing through a dark zone. Adding to the inconvenience is the fact that these dark zones can occur in the very heart of the intended coverage area.
Supplemental cellular phone base stations, or patch stations, are known in the existing arts. The purpose of the supplement base station is to brighten the dark zone. The base station is physically connected to a fixed structure adjacent to the dark zone, such as a building, bridge or tunnel, via a mounting bracket.
The supplemental base station has traditionally been contained within a rather bulky housing. The housing enclosed many pounds of electrical components necessary to the base station's functions. In order to shield the electrical components, provide adequate heat dissipation, and simply support the electrical components, the housing and the door to the housing have to be formed of a rigidified material, typically aluminum.
In an effort to reduce the overall size and weight of the base station, the Applicants' have invented a housing having a door formed by two adjacent walls of the housing (See FIG. 6).
The expanded door provides a wide access opening to the interior of the housing. The expanded door allows easy access to multiple layers of stacked components within the housing. Therefore, the components can be made smaller and be packed more densely within the housing, while still allowing adequate access for service and repair operations.
During installation, the housing must be secured to a mounting bracket. After installation, the expanded door must be proper aligned to the walls of the housing when the door is being closed. Further, the expanded door must be spaced a proper distance from the walls of the housing, when closed, so as to properly compress a weatherproofing gasket. To this end, there exists a need in the art for a combination fastener, alignment guide, and spacer for interconnecting and/or interacting with the mounting bracket, housing, and door.